Welcome to the Mr. Local History Project
“A 501c3 Non-Profit Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting Jersey History with a Social Twist”
The Mr. Local History Project is about bringing New Jersey’s past into the present through the stories of real places, real people, and real communities. Focused especially on New Jersey history, the project celebrates local history in a way that feels personal, engaging, and relevant, not something locked away in textbooks, but history that lives where we live. As we head into 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States, Mr. Local History is turning history into a shared experience. With a social twist, this is about connecting online and in the community, sharing memories, spotlighting hometown stories, and honoring New Jersey’s outsized role in America’s founding. It is history you can explore, share, and be part of together.
Today in America’s History (We Update Every Day)
- 1861: American Civil War: First Battle of Bull Run: At Manassas Junction, Virginia, the first major battle of the war begins and ends in a victory for the Confederate army.
- 1877: After rioting by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers and the deaths of nine rail workers at the hands of the Maryland militia, workers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, stage a sympathy strike that is met with an assault by the state militia.
- 1949: The United States Senate ratifies the North Atlantic Treaty.
- 1959: Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green becomes the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last team to integrate. He came in as a pinch runner for Vic Wertz and stayed in as shortstop in a 2–1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
- 2010: U.S. President Barack Obama signs the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
- 2024: U.S. President Joe Biden announces he will no longer seek a second term and withdraws from the 2024 election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as she launches her own presidential campaign.
What Can You Do Today to Celebrate America’s 250th?
Our Readers’ Top 10 MLH Posts this Week
Latest Posts
Meandering Basking Ridge’s Millington Quarry Lake
Views: 556 PREVIEW RELEASE TO OUR LOCAL FOLLOWERS:Share a memory in the comments section at the end of the post. The Millington Quarry property in the Millington section of Bernards Township is one of the largest former industrial sites in…
1717 John Harrison Purchases What Becomes Basking Ridge
Views: 138 For the first time ever, our readers can see and read the original 1717 deed in which John Harrison purchased the land that later became Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Researchers at the Mr. Local History Project are so…
Five Landowners That Owned Half of Somerset County, New Jersey
Views: 690 Maps are such a great source of history, and this 1766 map doesn’t disappoint those looking to learn more about Somerset County, New Jersey’s history. Completed in 1766 by surveyors Benjamin Morgan and Joseph Hills, the Morgan–Hills Map…
1766 Somerset County, New Jersey Map Tells So Many Stories
Views: 265 The 1766 Morgan–Hills Map of Somerset County Unlike most eighteenth-century maps that depict only towns and transportation routes, the Morgan–Hills map provides a remarkable snapshot of the county’s agricultural landscape by assigning numbered tracts to individual owners in…
Speaker Series: Sacking General Lee in Basking Ridge….But What if
Views: 813 What would have happened if General Charles Lee WASN’T captured in Basking Ridge?Join the Mr. Local History Project as we break down the history with this interesting conversation. America250 Update: Presentation – Sacking General Lee in Basking Ridge –…
Free Declaration of Independence & Constitution Booklet for Supporting MLH
Views: 209 Yes, it’s true, to celebrate America 250, we have a great gift for you from our friends and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. Simply order anything from our fundraising gift shop or make a donation, then ask…
Hackensack’s Historic White Manna Burger Diner is MOVING – And Going BIG
Views: 372 Big News in the Jersey Burger World! Hackensack’s historic White Manna is going for it and made the decision to relocate one of New Jersey’s most iconic burger joints, lifting it up and moving it up the road,…
America250 History Debunked: Separating Myth from Fact
Views: 628 In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, we’ve been on the road, attending many great speeches and presentations on our country’s history. But one speaker gave an interesting twist, asking the audience about some commonly stated facts that have…
What America at 250 Means to Me Essay Series Open to All
Views: 571 As Americans experience our 250th anniversary, historians are asking how this moment should be understood and remembered. The Mr. Local History Project is preparing an in-depth story that brings together perspectives from respected voices across our region. This…
Show us Your Red, White, and Blue Contest – Celebrating America 250
Views: 564 America’s 250th birthday is a once-in-a-generation celebration, and there’s no better time to proudly display what America means to you. Whether it’s a porch draped in flags, a family dressed in red, white, and blue, a neighborhood gathering,…
Middlebrook’s 1778-1779 Encampment – 10,000 Troops and Bridgewater’s Legacy
Views: 1,131 Military protocol in the eighteenth century generally called for armies to suspend major campaigning during the winter months. Harsh weather, poor roads, limited food supplies, and the difficulty of moving men, horses, artillery, and wagons made large-scale operations…
MLH Loves To See The Public Engaged….. The Latest Comments
What was the name of the restaurant that was destroyed by Sandy which was across the street from Keyport Fishery?
Yes, not sure how it got confused so we’ve updated the piece. How did you remember?
The Mount Prospect School shown in the picture was built in approximately 1998, not 1968. It was indeed named after…
Laird & Company in Colt’s Neck is considered America’s oldest distillery, renowned for producing Applejack and apple brandy. William Laird…
We used to walk to joralemons after school. We would get our root beer popsicles. My dad used to send…
We are a historical organization. If you wish to talk with them, contact them directly. Thank you.
Following up to previously sent e-mail to ensure I did it properly. Please respond at your earliest convenience if you…
Can I visit Sky Farm? I was a member 22+ years age with my wife who passed away 18 years…
Funny about this – we just saw Teddy Roosevelt talking with President Trump at the opening of his new library…
Our Summer 2026 Magazine is HERE!
Full of great local Jersey History to keep you on the edge of your history seat.
Special Edition – America’s 250th The SEMI-QUIN-CENTENNIAL is HERE!
See our special digital magazine. Full of great local Jersey History.
Hi: Abraham Southard the son of Thomas and Annica Southard had no record of having been married. He left a…